Fighting glove

ABSTRACT

A glove useful for mixed martial arts fighting has padded knuckles for the four non-opposed fingers, with the lower half of each of the fingers not enclosed. The palm of the glove is open, and the thumb is not covered. The glove has an inner pair of attachment straps closable across each other over the wrist, and installed over the attachment straps is a closable outer support or stability strap that wraps around the wrist. Both the attachment straps and the support strap are preferably closable through use of a hook and loop fastening means such as Velcro®.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Ser. No. 61/171,765 filed Apr. 22, 2009 and Ser. No. 61/185,145 filed Jun. 8, 2009, the entirety of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to gloves and, more specifically, to gloves for utilization in mixed martial arts fighting.

2. The Prior Art

Gloves used in hand-to-hand combat have been known for millennia. For example, during Roman times, gladiators wrapped their hands to box. More recently, boxing gloves have evolved to what is well known today. They are almost totally aimed at punching, and possibly deflecting punches. Karate gloves are typically fairly similar to boxing gloves, again being designed primarily for punching, though in the case of Karate, the punching may be done with more than just a clinched fist. Some Karate gloves allow for some use of the hands for grasping. However, as with boxing gloves, Karate gloves typically have a single compartment for all four of the non-opposed fingers on each hand, with another compartment for the thumb.

Mixed martial arts (“MMA”) is a reasonably recent phenomenon. Initially, it allowed for any type of unarmed combat between two participants. The primary organization behind its growth has been the UFC® (Ultimate Fighting Championship®). The precursor to MMA was initially so controversial that it was either banned or dropped from TV. In order to overcome this problem, rules have slowly been introduced to define the activity into a legalized and regulated sport. Still, the combatants in such a fighting sport have a requirement to be able to both hit and grasp or grapple. Traditional boxing and Karate gloves do not provide this capability.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A glove useful for mixed martial arts fighting has padded knuckles for the four non-opposed fingers with the lower half of each of the fingers not enclosed. The palm of the glove is open, and the thumb is not covered. The glove has an inner pair of attachment straps closable across each other over the wrist, and installed over the attachment straps is a closable outer support or stability strap that wraps around the wrist. Both the attachment straps and the support strap are preferably closable through use of a hook and loop fastening means such as Velcro®.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of an improved fighting glove, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove 10 shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the improved fighting glove shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove shown in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are bottom views of the improved fighting glove shown in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are bottom views of the improved fighting glove shown in FIG. 6;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are bottom views of the improved fighting glove shown in FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are bottom views of the improved fighting glove shown in FIGS. 9 and 10; and

FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a top view of an improved fighting glove 10, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the knuckles of the glove 10 are padded 12. Currently, Ultimate Fighting Championship® bouts require at least 1 inch of padding 12 over the knuckles, which results in approximately 4 to 6 ounces of padding per glove. In a preferred embodiment, the finger tips in the glove 10 are missing 14 to allow grappling. For example, the fingers in the gloves may end at approximately the second joint on each finger. A stability or support strap 20 wraps at least substantially around the wrist 42 of a fighter to secure the glove 10 to the fighter. Currently, official Ultimate Fighting Championship® gloves have UFC® logos on both the padded knuckles 12 and top of the support strap 20. The gloves 10 are preferably constructed from soft leather to provide both comfort and durability, but may be constructed of other materials. In that preferred embodiment, both the support straps and the attachment straps are similarly constructed from leather, the attachment straps of similar leather to the rest of the glove, and the stability or support strap of possibly a heavier leather. Also, the seams are preferably double stitched, and the edges of the glove rolled over before being seamed, for durability.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove 10 shown in FIG. 1. The interior 16 of the gloves 10 may also include an absorbent lining that wicks away perspiration when a fighter wearing the gloves is fighting or training. Also visible is the loop material 24 attached to the top of the support or stability strap 20.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the improved fighting glove 10 shown in FIG. 1 with its outer, support, strap 20 unattached and unwrapped. The outer support strap 20 has attachment means for attaching one end to either the glove or, more alternatively, itself. In these FIGs., the outer support strap wraps entirely around the wrist 42 of a fighter. On top of the wrist 42 of the fighter on the top of the glove 10 is one side of a hook and loop fastener, and on the bottom side of the outer support strap is the other side of a hook and loop fastener. The outer stability or support strap 20 is wrapped around the wrist 42 of the fighter, and the hook and loop fasters are engaged to keep it tight. Typically, the hook fasteners 26 are attached to the inside of the support strap 20, while the loop fasteners 24 are attached to the outside of the support strap 20 or the top of the glove over the fighter's wrist, so that when the support strap 20 is wrapped around the wrist 42 of a fighter, the hooks 26 engage with the loops 24 to securely fasten the support strap 20. Other mechanisms for removably attaching the support strap 20 are also within the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove 10 shown in FIG. 2 with its outer support strap 20 unattached and unwrapped. The hook 26 and loop 24 (see FIG. 3) fasteners on the inner side of the outer stability or support strap 20 are shown, as well as the two inner attachment straps 30, 32 attached together.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are bottom views of the improved fighting glove 10 shown in FIG. 4 with both its outer support or stability strap 20 and inner attachment and closure straps 30, 32 unattached. FIG. 5 shows the first, inner, 30 one of the two paired inner attachment straps folded in, and the second, outer attachment strap 32 folded out, over the unwrapped outer support strap 20. FIG. 6 shows the two paired inner attachment straps 30, 32 folded out, ready for being put on the hand a fighter. Hook 36 and loop 34 fasteners are shown on the outer side of the inner attachment strap 30 and the inner side of the outer attachment strap 32. They are engaged in order to close the attachment straps 30, 32. Also shown is the inner side of the outer support strap 20 and the attached hook or loop fasteners. Note that in a preferred embodiment, the hook or loop fasteners on the inner side of the support strap 20 are missing 28 over the top of the outer attachment strap 32 for better operation. Also, in the preferred embodiment, the hooks 36 are attached to the inside of the outer attachment strap 32, while the loops 34 are attached to the outside of the inner attachment strap 30. In the preferred embodiment, the leather from the rest of the glove extends through the attachment straps, as shown for the inside 17 of the inner support strap in FIG. 6. Also, in one embodiment, wicking material may also cover both the inside of the glove and the inside of the inner attachment strap 30. While two overlapping straps are shown in this preferred embodiment, it should be understood that utilizing a single strap attaching to the glove with a removable attachment means such as hook and loop fasteners is also within the scope of the present invention. Also, other means for removably providing the attachment than the use of hook and loop fasteners are also within the scope of the present invention.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are bottom views of the improved fighting glove 10 shown in FIG. 6 with the outer support or stability strap 20 and the two paired attachment straps 30, 32 being folded back, as it is being put on by a fighter. The two attachment straps 30, 32 consist of a inner attachment strap 30 and an outer attachment strap 32 that attaches over the top of the inner attachment strap 30 using the hook 36 and loop 34 fasteners to close the two attachment straps 30, 32 together. The glove is shown being put the hand of a fighter 40. The fighter's wrist 42, palm 44, thumb 46, and fingers 48 are shown. When completed installed on a fighter 40, this embodiment of the glove 10 has an open palm 44 and thumb 46 area. The fingers extend through the finger holes 14.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are bottom views of the improved fighting glove 10 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 with the first, lower, attachment strap 30 already folded over the wrist 42 of the fighter 40, and the second, outer, attachment strap 32 being folded back from the opposite direction. Also folded back, behind the outer attachment strap 32, is the stability or support strap 20. These FIGs. show the first, inner, attachment strap 30 being held down preparatory to the second, outer, attachment strap 32 being closed over it.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are bottom views of the improved fighting glove 10 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 with the attachment straps 30, 32 being closed over each other, but before the outer stability or support strap 20 has been closed. FIG. 11 shows the outer stability or support strap 20 folded back, and FIG. 12 shows it being held in preparation for being wrapped around the wrist 42 of a fighter and closed.

FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove 10 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 with the outer stability or support strap 20 wrapped around the wrist 42 of the fighter and closed over the inner attachment straps 30, 32. At this point, the fighting glove 10 is fully installed on the fighter. It should be noted that the hand 40 shown in these FIGs. is bare, but that typically hands of fighters 40 are wrapped before gloves 10 are installed prior to fights.

Hook and loop fasteners are shown installed to close both the outer support strap 30 and the inner attachment straps 30, 32. Typically, the loop side 24, 34 is attached to the outside of the lower side of such a closure means, with the hook side 26, 36 attached to the outside of the upper inside portion of the closure means. However, this can be reversed. Also, other attachment means are also within the scope of the present invention.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention encompass all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A fighting glove comprising: a back hand cover; and a front hand cover, the back hand cover and the front hand cover defining finger openings at a distal end of said hand covers and a wrist area at a proximal end of said hand covers, the front hand cover defining an aperture extending from the finger openings to the wrist area, the aperture adapted to leave at least a portion of a user's palm and thumb uncovered. 2-6. (canceled)
 7. The lighting glove of claim 1, further comprising padding adapted to be over knuckles of the user.
 8. The lighting glove of claim 1, further comprising a sit a strap attached to the back hand cover adapted to be wrapped around a user's wrist to secure the fighting glove to the user.
 9. The lighting glove of claim 8, wherein the support strap includes hook and loop fasteners such that when the support strap is wrapped around the user's wrist, the hook and loop fasteners cooperate to securely fasten the support strap.
 10. The fighting glove of claim 1, further comprising a first attachment strap attached to the back hand over adjacent to the user's thumb and a second attachment strap attached to the back hand cover opposite the first attachment strap, the first and second attachment straps adapted to cooperate to secure the glove to the user. 11-20. (canceled)
 21. The fighting glove of claim 1, wherein the glove is lined with an absorbent material. 